Valentines Day
by Epona-Rhi
Summary: Hermione hated Valentines day. It's all just a commercialised popularity contest. But does someone make her change her mind? Read and Review please!
1. Valentines Day Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the pen I write with, the paper and the plot. Harry and Hermione, hell, all characters for that matter are property of J.K Rowling, that fabulous woman who gave us the world of Hogwarts. Bless you J.K, Bless you.

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Authors Notes: Okay, I'm back writing Harry Potter fics, after my brief period of Final Fantasy. This is inspired by, guess what? Yup, you guessed it, Valentines day. I personally don't like Valentines day, you might be able to tell why through some of Hermiones opinions. But I thought it would make a cute plot for her and Harry. So, Happy Valentines Day, People, and Enjoy!

She trudged through the small village of Hogsmeade alone, a small playful February wind catching her soft, light brown hair. Her cinnamon-hazel eyes scanned the area around her, easily picking out teenage couples and linked hands. Hogsmeade was full of Hogwarts students, a big crowding mass of black, even more so than a usual Hogsmeade trip. The reason: Valentines Day.

Hermione hated Valentines Day. Ever since she was a kid she had hated it, those stupid red hearts everywhere, shops going nuts on selling little teddies and stupid balloons. It was all a commercialised popularity contest, of who had got the most cards, and who hadn't got any at all. It was always the same people who got them, always the popular, skinny girls, Hermione mused as she continued down the bustling main street, being tossed about like a crisp packet in a gust of wind. It's always the one with the long hair and the pretty faces.

Hermione had not received a valentines card for Valentines Day for a long time, but she didn't particularly care. It was only a stupid holiday sexed up by the card companies, as she told Harry and Ron that morning at breakfast. Ron had taken his new girlfriend, Luna, onto a romantic trip into Hogsmeade, an event which none of them would have ever expected, considering his obvious dislike for the girl the previous year. Harry had recommended Madam Puddifoot's, the small teashop where he had his date/fiasco with Cho the previous year. That's who she was looking for now, Harry. 

She scanned the area again, looking for any trace of messy black hair, but to no avail. Sighing impatiently, she turned into a nearby shop, she had to buy a birthday card for someone. Unsuspectingly she stepped into small shop only to be met with a very agitated, very breathless Harry. 

'Where in Merlin's name have you _been?_' she immediately reprimanded him, giving him an evil glare. 'I've been looking all over Hogsmeade for you!'

She stopped lecturing him for a second to let him answer, but was answered with his bright red face, which he was trying his best to hide, his brilliant bottle green eyes facing down, his now chin length messy raven hair falling onto his perfectly shaped face. He looked highly embarrassed about something, and Hermione's curiosity got the better of her. 

'I- er- I've been- uh.' He stuttered, clearly trying very hard to make up an adequate excuse. 'I was just- '

He was holding something in his left hand, which had been carefully placed behind him, to hide it. Hermione stared at it.

'Harry. is that a Valentines Card?'

His face reached the ultimate shade of crimson, and as he had no possible way of denying it, he slowly nodded. 

Hermione's heart jumped into her throat. She felt devastatingly upset all of a sudden, and had no idea why she felt like this only because Harry had bought a Valentines Card. The only thing she could do was to hold her threatening tears back fiercely and try to get of there. She felt angry, hot sickening anger with herself, and Harry, for not buying _her _a Valentines card.

She gulped back the tears and managed to fake strong anger, when all she was feeling was weak. 'I've been looking all round Hogsmeade, in the freezing cold, on my own, my feet absolutely killing me, when I could have done all my shopping and went in the Three Broomsticks, in the warmth, for a nice hot butterbeer, and you've been here all this time, looking at _Valentines cards_ for Merlin's sake?'

Slowly, looking like a small child caught doing something naughty, he nodded. At the back of her mind, she made a quick mental note; Harry was simply adorable when embarrassed and being told off.

She faked an exasperated noise and spun around on her heel, heading back to the gates of Hogwarts, fuming and holding back stray tears, leaving a totally lost and totally bewildered Harry standing forlornly in the middle of the crowded High Street.


	2. Valentines Day Chapter 2

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Disclaimer: Once again, I regret to say, that none of this is mine. Except the plot. Which might have been used in a film or something, so it's probably not mine either. I own nothing. *sniff.*

What on earth had made her so upset?

Back at Hogwarts in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione sat at the open window, the nippy February air biting at her porcelain features. Watching the Hogwarts students- or more so- the Hogwarts _couples_ returning from their romantic trips into Hogsmeade, she sat, alone and miserable occasionally sighing with disgust at herself.

She had got to mad with Harry, she had shouted at him, made him feel so ashamed of something he hadn't done. Or rather something he did do. He had bought a Valentines card, for that special someone, which had caused Hermione to almost break down in hysterical tears in front of him.

__

He's my best friend, she thought bitterly. _If he was buying a card for someone, he'd have told me who for, wouldn't he? Unless. He didn't want me to know because.._

She snorted with further disgust at herself. _Get a grip, Granger. _She told herself savagely. _He won't like you, you're. Hermione. And he's. he's Harry Potter. He's smart, kind, brave, not to mention unbearably adorable, and good looking. He doesn't deserve any old plain Jane who throws herself at his feet, claiming to be the one for him. He went through all his life without love, he's not gonna throw away his feelings on no one._

She looked out over the vast grounds, the sun setting and casting an eerily pretty glow on the lawns and the Forest. Couples were lying on the neat grass, watching the sunset reflected in the golden lake, hands linked, arms around each other. Near the dull green mass of Forest, Ron and Luna were snuggled up against a tree, hugging each other tightly. It made her physically sick to look at it. 

She turned away from the window, realising she had unexpected tears on her cheeks. Wiping them away, she swiftly moved over to the soft armchair in front of the merrily dancing flames in the fireplace, and grabbed a nearby book, holding it like a security blanket, the one thing she could find solace in. The tears were threatening to break through the emotional dam built up inside her, and she let them. 

She cried, for the first time in about five years, Hermione cried. Cool, calm and collected Hermione Granger, always level headed and so in tune with herself, knew the answer to everything, and if she didn't, she'd consult a book. Well, she knew a book couldn't help her this time, but it didn't stop her from hugging it tightly, as if it were something- or rather, someone else.

She had found the reason why she was so upset about Harry buying a card for someone special. She was upset that she wasn't the someone special. 


	3. Valentines Day Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: I lied, It all belongs to me, I am the genius behind Harry Potter. Okay, I'm lying. Still, I can dream can't I?

A soft hand on her shoulder woke her up, a warm, velvety male voice like Hot chocolate was gently calling her to wake up. She opened her eyes, drowsy and sticky from tears and sleep, and lifted her heavy head to meet his.

Harry looked around worried, his bottle green eyes filled with care and remorse. He moved around to sit next to her, and she straightened up. 

'Hermione, honey, are you alright?' he asked, giving her a warming hug. She closed her eyes once more, savouring the feeling. 'I looked all around Hogsmeade for you, then all round the castle, even in the Library and everything.'

'I'm okay,' she replied, as they broke apart. Seeing Harry so regretful and worried for something that wasn't his fault was heart-breaking. It was enough to start her off crying again.

'I'm really sorry, Hermione,' he said quietly, looking at his pale hands, his face full of regret. 'I didn't mean to make you angry today, and I'm really sorry, And- ' He gulped, making Hermione's curiosity got the better of her again and she stared at him. 'And I- I'd like to make it up to you.'

Her eyes widened and she grabbed his hands, fighting the impulse to grab the rest of him. She looked him deeply in the eyes, giving him a sorry look. 

'No, Harry, you don't have to do anything, it wasn't your fault, you didn't do anything wrong. Honestly. I was just being- ' Emotional? Upset? Angry? Silly? For once being a woman was a blessing not a curse, she could blame it on the female curse. 'Teasy. I was just being teasy, that's all, you know, girls are teasy sometimes, aren't they?'

'But still,' he continued, breaking Hermione's heart to see him trying to take all the blame. 'You wouldn't have been teasy if you didn't have to look all around Hogsmeade for me. So- So here.'

He picked up a soft pink envelope from the table and shyly handed it to her. With wide eyes, she opened it, and a small jet-black box fell out. Opening the box she found a small, delicate silver chain with a Locket, embellished with a tiny ruby and a tiny emerald, and engraved with the letters; HP + HG.

Tears filling her eyes, petite hands shaking, she opened the locket. Inside was a wizard photograph of the last day of fourth year, on Platform 9 ¾. The Hermione in the photo was reaching up and kissing photo Harry on the cheek. In response, Photo Harry was blushing furiously, a smug smile on his face.

Moving onto the card, a picture of two Unicorns on the front, not overly romantic, but just perfect for her, she read the message in Harry's surprisingly neat handwriting. 

To Hermione,

My friend, my homework help, my chief 

worrier, my shoulder to cry on, my Golden snitch and hopefully my Valentine.

Loving you for this and more,

Harry 

X

Hermione's tear-filled eyes met Harry's, a look of numb disbelief on her face. She managed a shocked smile before catching Harry's lips with her own, passionately embracing him, pouring emotion through her kiss.


	4. Valentines Day chapter 4

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Authors Notes: Here it is, the last chapter of Valentines Day. Enjoy! Happy Valentines Day Everybody!

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Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hey, if I sit outside J. K's house and cried do you think she'd sell it to me?

Hermione loved Valentines Day. After all, it was a day of love and tenderness, pretty little hearts all over the place, Shops selling cute little teddy bears with hearts and big red balloons, the feeling of love in the air, what's not to like about it? 

She sighed happily on the morning of February the 14th, as she opened the familiar soft pink envelope addressed to her, one hand unconsciously fiddling with a small delicate silver locket on her chest. Smiling serenely, she took out the card. It was a picture of two Unicorns, playing together, best friends. Not overly romantic, but just perfect for her. Opening it up, she read the sweet message within.

To Hermione, 

My friend, my help, my chief worrier, my shoulder to cry on, my golden snitch, my valentine, and soon to be my lovely wife. 

Loving you for all this and more,

for many, many years to come,

Your Fiancée,

Harry.

**X**


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